VOL. 133 | NO. 131 | Monday, July 2, 2018
The Week Ahead: July 2-8, 2018
Good morning, Memphis! The Fourth of July hits on Wednesday this year, delivering plenty of fireworks and fun in the middle of the week. Check out our roundup of Independence Day events and more you need to know about in The Week Ahead...
The Memphis Riverfront lights up for the Fourth of July Wednesday. Mud Island River Park will have free games and rides, live music, and food vendors starting at 6 p.m., leading up to the big fireworks display at 9:15 p.m. The Memphis River Parks Partnership, which is organizing all of the riverfront events, also is offering the chance to watch the fireworks on the water via Allen’s Kayaking Adventures and Ghost River Canoe and Kayak Club. They will be renting canoes and kayaks on the cobblestones – or you can bring your own kayak. The splash pad and RiverPlay will be part of the activities in Tom Lee Park.
For even more Fourth of July fun Downtown, the first-place Memphis Redbirds are putting on their own fireworks show after the 6:35 p.m. game vs. Omaha (Kansas City Royals) at AutoZone Park. Wednesday’s game is the first in a five-game series that continues Thursday and Friday at 7:05 p.m., Saturday at 6:35 p.m. (again with postgame fireworks) and Sunday at 2:05 p.m.
Germantown’s Fourth of July celebration, meanwhile, starts at Municipal Park Lake with a 9 a.m. fishing rodeo. Municipal Park, 1900 S. Germantown Road, is also the setting later in the day for live entertainment, games, crafts and kids’ rides. Fireworks cap the evening at 9:10 p.m.
Collierville marks the Independence Day holiday a day early – Tuesday, July 3 – with food vendors, live entertainment and fireworks all at Cox Park, 440 West Powell Road. The food vendors open up at 6 p.m., the entertainment at 6:30 p.m. and fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
Bartlett’s Star Spangled Fireworks Extravaganza is on Tuesday as well, with the festivities starting at 6 p.m. at Bobby K. Flaherty Municipal Center, at Appling Road and U.S. 70. Entertainment starts at 6:30 p.m., with fireworks at 9:15 p.m.
Grunge rockers Bush play the New Daisy Theatre Monday night. It’s been 23 years since “Everything Zen” hit the charts, and we’re wondering whether Gavin Rossdale still doesn’t believe Elvis is dead. Doors open at 6:30, with Helmet opening the show at 7:30.
Def Leppard and Journey play FedExForum Friday on their current summer tour. Both bands were very popular in Memphis in their heydey. How long ago was that? Glad you asked. Def Leppard’s biggest album, “Hysteria” – the one with “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – is 31 years old. Journey’s first date in Memphis was April 1978, according to Ron Hall’s “Memphis Rocks.” It was a triple bill at the Auditorium with Montrose and Van Halen opening at a time when David Lee Roth was still with Van Halen and a few years after Sammy Hagar had been fired from Montrose. Def Leppard’s first Memphis date was September 1981 at the Orpheum opening for Ozzy Osbourne.
Lifeblood needs donations this week to help keep blood levels adequate during the holiday, which usually sees donations drop by more than 20 percent. Everyone who donates this Monday through Saturday gets a Fourth of July Lifeblood T-shirt and bonus points toward a $25 Amazon gift card on its online reward store. Donors also will be entered to win a daily $100 Amazon gift card and a grand prize $500 Amazon gift card at the end of the week.
The American Conservative Union Foundation is holding a policy forum at FedExForum Monday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. And the political gathering features Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson along with Republican contender for governor and U.S. Rep. Diane Black as the main speakers. Black’s rivals heading for the Aug. 2 statewide primary – Democratic and Republican – are making various campaign stops in the area during the Fourth of July weekend. It’s a holiday that, coming in the middle of the week this year, lends itself to political appeals of all stripes not to mention we are less than two weeks away from the start of early voting.
Artists David Rawlinson and Wanda Winsett will exhibit their vibrant and eclectic paintings in Fratelli's Cafe at Memphis Botanic Garden this month in an exhibition titled “Point, Counterpoint.” Their works present people, places, objects and symbols of what they have seen and felt in places of beauty and interest. Fratelli’s is open Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Orpheum Summer Movie Series gets underway Tuesday with something to get you ready for the Fourth of July – the 1996 movie “Independence Day.” For those who haven’t seen it or don’t recall it, this is that most Fourth of July movie involving an invasion from outer space. In the Orpheum’s defense, there really aren’t that many classic movies about the American Revolution. We tend to pick up on its themes in later times – like the setting of “Independence Day” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” which happens to be the film they’re screening Friday.
The Daily News staff compiles The Week Ahead for you, our readers, every week. You'll receive it as part of our Monday online edition. Email associate editor Kate Simone at ksimone@memphisdailynews.com if you have items for consideration.